Anthrax has been discovered in a cow in Wiltshire – the first case in an animal for nearly a decade.
Public Health England (PHE) said officials discovered the case in a farm in the Westbury area of Wilshire following the death of a cow last week.
Restrictions have since been placed on the farm and the cow has been incinerated. A local footpath has been closed and it has been confirmed that no cattle from the field have entered the food chain.
PHE South West’s deputy director of Health Protection Mike Wade said the risk of infection for humans in close contact with the cow is “very low,” adding that the organisation is in touch with any potential contacts to offer public health advice.
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by a bacterium named Bacillius Anthracis, which primarily affects herbivorous animals. It can be contracted by humans, though this is extremely rare, causing skin lesions, severe respiratory collapse and death if a person is not treated quickly with large doses of antibiotics.
Wiltshire council said “swift action” had been taken to deal with the case, stating it worked with partners both locally and nationally to deal with the immediate risk.
A Government spokesperson said that “no other animals have been affected,” the Western Morning News reports.
A spokeswoman said: “We know any risk is low; however, as you would expect, we are taking this very seriously and will be doing everything in our power to support the national and local experts to keep Wiltshire safe.”
The last case of anthrax discovered in an animal was in two cows who died on a beef farm in South Wales in 2006. At the time it had been the first case seen in the UK since 2002.
All sudden, unexplained deaths of cattle are now investigated for anthrax with hundreds of examples examined each year.
The last case of a human contracting anthrax was recorded in 2008. The disease's spores - which can survive harsh conditions - become deadly to humans when they are inhaled. Anthrax has been weaponized by at least five countries, includiting Britain, and in June this year it was revealed by the Pentagon that the US military mistakenly shipped live anthrax samples to a laboratory in the UK, to nine US states and a base in South Korea.
Additional reporting by PA
